Cotton-chopper.



No. 764,366. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. C. G. MERCER.

COTTON GHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.2'f,1(J04 N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

` No. 764,366. PATENTBD JULY 5, 19Q4.

C. G. MERCER.

COTTON GHOPPER. APPLIGATION FILED FBB 24, 1904.

No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented July 5, 1904.

CHARLES (if. MERCER, `OF EUFAULA, ALABAMA.

coTToN-oHoPPEn.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 764,366, dated July 5, 1904.

Application Bled February 24. 1904. Serial No. 195,082, (No model.)

10 all whom, 7115 may-concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Gr. MERCER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eufaula, in the county of Barbour and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Cotton-Choppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cotton-choppers of the class provided with oscillatory knives or choppers.

The invention aims to provide a cottonchopper with new and novel means, hereinafter more specifically referred to, which will admit of the chopper mechanism being' raised and lowered at the will of the driver without requiring the dismounting or the stopping of the machine, with means for throwing the mechanism into `and out of operation, with means to prevent the breaking oiiI andto permit of the passage of the chopper or knife when meeting an obstruction, and with means for elevating'the chopper mechanism by the foot of the drivel', said means operable indcpendently of the elevating and lowering means hereinbefore referred to.

A further obJect of the invention is to devise a novel formation of framework, mount-l ing, and vconnections for the operating parts, whereby the machine in its general construction occupies a minimum amount of space and enables the least amount of material to enter into its formation consistent with strength and durability essential to the effectiveness and long life of the machine as compared with others for a similar purpose and general construction.

The invention further aims to construct a cotton-chopper which shall be extremely simplein its construction, strong, durable. eiiicient in its use, and comparatively inexperi-v sive to set up.

With the foregoing and other objects in View the invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more speciiically described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail refer ence is had to the accompanying' drawings,

forming a part of this specification, wherein mounted the wheels V2. provided with a suitable pawl-and-ratchet like characters of reference denote corresponding' parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figurc l is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2,v a top plan view; Fig. 3, a front eleva- 5 5 tion; Fig. 4, a detail of the chopper or knife and its connections. Fig. 5 is a detail of a modified form of the chopper or knife, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail View of the bifurcated end of the pitman-rod.

The machine comprises a main rock-frame, a secondary rock-frame, an oscillatory chopp'er mechanism, operating means for the chopper mechanism, a hand-operated elevating and lowering means for the chopper mechan- 6 5 ism and secondary rock-frame, and a foot-operated elevating mechanism for the chopper mechanism and secondary rocle'frame.

Referringto 'the drawings by reference characters, 1 denotes the axle, upon which are 70 These latter are each mechanism of known construction to permit of a back movement thereof in relation tothe axle, so that the machine can turn in any direction.

' The reference character 4: denotes the shafts of the machlne,and 5 a s'wmgletrce. The shafts `and swingletree are secured to the front of the main rock-frame by any suitable holdfast 8O devices. The main rock-frame of the machine consists of an elongated strip of suitable mate rial, preferably metal, bent to form the sides 6 and 7 and a front 8. The rear end of the S5.

sides 6 7 is loosely mounted upon the axle l to permit of rocking the frame` and the forward portion of the side 7 is bent outwardly in a curvilinear manner, as at 9, and said curvilinear portion terminates in one end of the front 8. The forward portion of the side 6 is `also bent outwardly, as at 9@ and terminates in the opposite end of the front 8.A By constructing the sides 6 7 of themain rock-frame in a manner as set forth sufficient space' is 95 formed in the front portion of themain rockfranue to permit of the operation and arrangement of the chopper mechanism, to be hereinafter referred to. lhe shape of the main rock-frame, as shown, is substantially yoke- The auxiliary rock-frame, which is arranged` with the main rock-frame, consists of a yokeshaped member 10, of any suitable material, having one of its sides of a greater length than the other, as indicated by the reference character 11, and said side of greater length at its rear is bentinwardly at right angles, as at 12, and provided with a pair of notches to form seats 13 and 14 in its top edge. The auxiliary rock-frame at its rear is also loosely mounted upon the axle 1. Arranged within the yoke 10, as well as being' secured thereto, is a bracing as well as supporting bar 15, and to the said bar 15 is secured in any suitable manner a pair of hanger-arms 16. The hangerarms 16 are also secured to the yoke-shaped member 10. in any suitable manner and are arranged at one side of the auxiliary rockframe. The hanger-arms 16 are of such length as to project forwardly of the auxiliary frame and terminate at a point removed from the front 8 of the main rock-frame.

The operating means for the chopper mechanism comprises a gear 17, mounted upon the axle 1, and a clutch mechanism 13y thereof, mounted upon the axle 1, having the shifting lever 19 thereof secured to the bar 15. The handle end of the lever 19 is adapted to engage in the seats 13 14 for connecting and disconnecting the gear 17 to and from the axle 1. The operating means for the chopper mechanism further comprises a pinion 20, meshing with the gear 17, and said pinion 2() is carried on the rear end of the operatingshaft 21, which finds a bearing in the bar 15 and in the front of the secondary rock-frame. Suitable retaining-collars for the shaft 21 are provided, as indicated by the reference character 22. On the forward end of the shaft 21 and in front of the secondary rock-frame is fixed a revoluble weighted disk 23, carrying on its front, near its edge, a wrist-pin 24, to which is adapted to be adjustably connected, as at 25, one end of a pitman 26. The other end of said pitman 26 is bifurcated, as at 27, for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The oscillatory chopper mechanism comprises a pair of slotted members 28, suspended from the hangers 16 and which form guides for directing' the travel of the chopper or knife to be presently referred to. The slots in the members 28 are arranged parallel to each other and have a portion of their lengththat is to say, the central portion thereofextend in a transverse direction with respect to the machine. The remaining or end portions of each slot extend upwardly and outwardly and at an inclination, but in a direction opposite to each other. The function of the inclined portions in the slots of the members 28 is to guiderthe chopper or knife, to be hereinafter referred to, in such a manner that the beginning of its stroke, whether in one direction or the other, will be downwardly and inwardly at an inclination, thus facilitating the operation of the chopper or knife. Secured to the bifurcated end of the pitman 26 is a pin 29 and upon which is loosely mounted the upper end of the shank 30, which carries the chopper or knife 31, formed of an elongated fiat piece of suitable material, preferably polygonal in contour, so as to have pointed ends and provided with a continuous cutting edge, with the elongated portions thereof extending in the direction of travel of the machine. The pin 29 projects from each side of the bifurcated end of the pitman 26 and carries aguide-roller 32, operating in the slots of the members 28, and the upper end of the shank 30 is formed with a lateral protuberance 33, which extends within the bifurcated end of the pitman 26 and is adapted to have its upper edge contact with the free end of a leafspring' 34 and its lower edge contact with the free end of a leaf-spring 35. The spring 34 is secured at one end upon the upper edge of the pitman 26, and the spring 35 is secured at one end to the lower edge of the pitman 26. By such an arrangement a yielding make-andbreak connectionis formed between the shank 3() of the chopper or knife and the pitman 26. This yielding make-and-break connection is provided for the purpose of preventing the breaking off i of the shank or the chopper or knife when an obstruction is met, for the reason that the yielding' connection will permit of the moving of the shank of the chopper or i knife out of the path of the obstruction. The make-and-break connection is such that the shank of the cutter or knife can pivot in either Vdirection and will cause the automatic return of the chopper o'r knife to its normal, or rather operative, position after it has been shifted.

The hand-operated elevating and lowering means for the oscillatory chopper mechanism and the auxiliary frame consists of a stud 36, secured to the upper face of one of the hangers y 16, and pivoted to said stud 36 is the lower end of a vertically-extending link 37, having the upper portion thereof formed with an elongated slot 38, in which slides a connectingpin 39 for a bifurcated projection 40, carried oscillatory chopper mechanism consists of a iiexblr connection 45, attached at its' lower end to the stud 36 and at itsupperfend to the forward end of a foot-operated lever 46, which is pivoted upon the bar 42, as at 47. It is evident, owing'to the pin-and-slot connection between the liand-operated lever 41, that when the driver operates the foot-lever 46 the lchopper mechanism can be elevated independent of the primary elevating' and lowering' means; butwhen the foot-lever is released the chopper mechanism will be returned by gravity to the positionto which it had been adjusted through the medium of the hand-operated mechanism, or, in other words, temporarily through the medium of the foot-operated elevating means the chopper mechanism can be elevated from its adjusted position; but when the foot-operated means is released the chopper mechanism returns to the position to which ithad been adjusted by the hand-operated mechanism. Although the foot-operated mechanism operates independently of the hand-operated mechanism, yet these two mechanisms are used in conjunction with each other.

The reference character 48 denotes a seatpost supported upon the bar 42 and carrying a scat 49.

The operation of the chopper mechanism is as follows: Assuming' that the gear 17 has been clutched to the axle 1 in the travel of the machine, motion will be imparted to the gear 17, which in turn will operate the pinion 20, rotating the shaft 21 and disk 23, imparting a reciprocatory movement to the pitman 26, the latter imparting an oscillatory movement to the shank and chopper or knife 31. The latter has its chopping stroke directed downwardly and inwardly at an inclination and then upwardly and outwardly atan inclination, owing to the slotted guide members 28. If it be desired to increase or decrease the depth of the stroke of the chopper or knife 31, the hand-operated lever is moved forwardly or rearwardly, as the case may be, which in turn will elevate or lower the secondary rockframe carrying the chopper mechanism and the operating mechanism therefor therewith. If it be desired to elevate the chopper mechanism after it has beenset by the hand-operated lever, it can be accomplished by pressure upon the foot-lever, this lever being operated independently of the hand-operated elevating and lowering mechanism.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing-sis shown a modified form of chopper' or knife and which is indicated by the reference character 31u. The construction of the knife or chopper 31 is the same as thatof the chopper or knife'designated by the reference character 31, with the exception that-the forward end of the chopper or knife 31" is slightly curved, as at 31", as it has been found that in large machines the curving of the forward end of the chopper or knife facilitates the operation of the same. i

It is thought the many advantages of my improved cotton-chopper can be readily un-A of the protection prayed.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by i Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine of the character described, an oscillatory chopper pivoting in opposite directions, operating means therefor, and a yielding connection between said operating means and said cutter, said connection adapted to automatically return said chopper to its operative position after it has been shifted on its pivot.

2. In a machine of the character described, an oscillatory chopper pivoting in opposite directions and having a continuous cutting edge with elongated portions extending in the direction of the travel of the machine, operating means for said chopper, anda yielding connection between said operating means and the chopper, said connection adapted to automatically return the chopper to its operative position after it has been shifted on its pivot.

3. In a machine of the character described, an oscillatory chopper pivoting in opposite directions, guides for said chopper, said guides provided with slots having portions extending at an inclination in opposite directions r and said slots `adapted to direct the travel of said chopper, operating means for said chopper, and a yielding connection between said operating means and the chopper, said connection adapted to automatically return said chopper to its operative position after it has been shifted on its pivot.

4. In a machine of the character described, an oscillatory chopper pivoting in opposite directions, a guide .for said chopper, said guide provided with a slot having portions extend- .ing at an inclination in opposite directions and said slot adapted to direct the travel of said chopper, operating means for said chopper, and a yieldingl connection between said operating means and the chopper, said con-` nection adapted to automatically return `said chopper to its operative position after it has been .shifted on its pivot.

an oscillatory chopper pivoting in opposite ILO izo

directions, means for automatically returning the chopper to 1ts normal position after it has been shifted on its pivot, and operating means V for the chopper.

6. In a machine of the character described, an oscillatory chopper pivoting in opposite directions, and means for automatically returning' the chopper to its operative position after it has been shifted on its pivot.

7. In a machine of the character described, a chopper, a shank for supporting it, said shank provided with a lateral projection, a pitman having a bifurcated end adapted to receive the upper end of the shank and said lateral projection, means for pivotally connecting the shank to the bifurcated end of the pitman, said shank pivoting in opposite directions on said pivot, a pair of springs carried by the pitman and adapted to retain said chopper in its operative position and to return said chopper to its operative position when the same has been shifted on its pivot, and means connected with the pitman for imparting an oscillatory movement to said chopper.

8. In a machine of the character described,a chopper, a shank for supporting it, said shank provided with a lateral projection, a pitman having a bifurcated end adapted to receive the upper end of the shank and said lateral projection, means for pivotally connectingthe shank to the bifurcated end of the pitman, said shank pivoting in opposite directions on said pivot, a pair of springs carried by the pitman and adapted to retain said chopper in its operative position and to return said chopper to its operative position when the same has been shifted on its pivot, means connected with the pitman for imparting an oscillatory movement to said chopper,and means for guiding said chopper downwardly and inwardly and upwardly and outwardly at an inclination during the oscillations thereof.

9. In a machine of the character described,a chopper, ashank for suspending it, said shank having a lateral projection, operating means for the chopper, means for pivotally connecting the shank to said operating means, said connecting means permitting of the shank pivoting in opposite directions, and means engaging' with said projection for returning the chopper to its normal position after it has been shifted upon its pivot.

10. In a machine of the character described, a chopper pivoting in opposite directions, and means for automatically returning the chopper to its normal position after it has been shifted upon its pivot.

11. In a machine of the character described, a main rock-frame, supporting means therefor, an auxiliary rock-frame arranged within the main frame and connected to said supporting means, an oscillatory chopper pivoting in opposite directions supported between the front of the secondary frame and the front of said main frame, operating means for the chopper interposed between the main frame and the secondary frame, said operating means supported by said secondary frame, a hand-operated elevating and lowering means for said secondary frame supported by the main frame, and a foot-operated means for elevating said secondary frame supported by the main frame and operating independently of the hand-operated means.

12. In a machine of the character described, a rocking frame, hangers carried thereby, an oscillatory chopper suspended by said hangers, operating means for said chopper supported by said frame, a yielding connecting means between said operating means and said chopper, said means adapted to return the chopper to its normal position after it has been shifted on its pivot, means for elevating and lowering said frame, and means for elevating said frame independent of the means for elevating and lowering it.

13. A machine of the character described comprising a chopper mechanism, a revoluble weighted disk, operating means for said disk, a chopper-mechanism-oscillating pitman adjustably connected at one end to the disk and having its other end bifurcated, and a makeand-break connection between the bifurcated end of the pitman and the chopper mechanism.

141. Amachine of the character described, a chopper, slotted guide members therefor, a pitman for oscillating the chopper, a pinl for pivotally connecting the chopper to one end of the pitman, said pin projecting from each side of the pitman, rollers carried by the projecting ends of the pin and operating in the slots of the guides, and means connected to the other end of the pitman for operating it.

15. A machine of the character described comprising a chopper, a pitman for operating the chopper, a pivotal connection between the chopper and the pi tman, said connection forming a guide for the chopper, means for supporting the pivotal connection, said means adapted to cause the travel of the chopper downwardly and inwardly and upwardly and outwardly at an inclination, and means for operating the pitman.

16. A machine of the character described comprising a chopper, slotted guide members therefor, a pitman for oscillating the chopper, a pin for pivotally connecting the chopper to one end of the pitman, said pin projecting from each side of the pitman, rollers carried by the projecting ends of the pin and operating in the slots of the guides, means connected to the other end of the pitman for operating it, and means carried by the pitman for returning the chopper after it has been shifted on its pivot to its operative position.

17. A machine of the character described comprising a chopper, a pitman for operating the chopper, a pivotal connection between the chopper and the pitman, said connection forming a guide for the chopper, means for supporting the pivotal connection, said means adapted to cause the travel of the chopper downwardly and inwardly and upwardly and outwardly at an inclination, means for operating the pitman, and means carried by the pitman for returning the chopper to its operative position after said chopper has been shifted on its pivot.

18. A cotton-chopper comprising a chopper mechanism, a hand-operated mechanism for vertically adjusting said chopper and retaining it in its adjusted position, and a footoperated mechanism operating independently of said hand-operated mechanism and adapted to elevate said chopper from its adjusted position, said chopper adapted to return to the position to which it had been adjusted by the hand-operated mechanism when the foot-op` erated mechanism is released.

19. In a eotton-chopper comprising an oscillatory chopper mechanism, a hand-operated mechanism for vertically adjusting' said chopper and retaining it in its adjusted position, and a foot-operated mechanism operating independently of said liand-operated mechanism and adapted to elevate said chopper from` its adjusted position, said chopper adapted to return to the position to which it had been adj usted by the hand-operated mechanism when the foot-operated mechanism is released.

20. Inamachine of the character described, a chopper, a shank for supporting it, a pitman for imparting oscillations to the chopper, means for pivotally connecting the shank to one end of the pitman, said shank pivoting in opposite directions on said pivot, means carried by the pitman and adapted to engage with saidshank for retaining the chopper in its operative position and for returning said chop-f per toits operative position when the same has been shifted upon its pivot, means connected with the pitman for operating it, and means engaging with the pivot between the shank and pitman for guiding the stroke of the chopper downwardly and inwardly and upwardly and outwardly at an inclination.

21. In amachine of the character described, the combination with a revoluble axle, amain rock-frame having an enlarged forward end and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, a secondary rock-frame arranged within the main rock-fi'ame and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, a chopper mechanism supported by the secondary fi'ame, operating mechanism for the chopper mechanism driven from the axle of the machine and supported by the said secondary frame,means carried by the axle and adapted to engage in the secondary frame for connecting and disconnecting said operating mechanism to and from the axle, and means carried by the main rock-frame for vertically adjusting said secondary frame and chopper mechanism and for retaining' said secondary frame and chopper mechanism in the position adjusted to.

22. In a cotton-chopper, a clioppei'or knife having a continuous cutting' edge, said knife having its forward end slightly curved.

23. In a cotton-chopper, a chopper or knife having a continuous cutting edge, said knife having its forward end curved.

24. In a cotton-cliopper, a chopper or knife having a continuous cutting' edge with elongated portions extending in the direction of the travel of the machine, said knife having its forward end curved.

25. In a cotton-chopper, a chopper or knife having a continuous cutting edge with elongated portions extending in the direction of the travel of the machine, said knife having its forward end slightly curved.

26. In a cotton-ehopper,a polygonal-shaped chopper or knife having acontinuous cutting edge with the elongated portions thereof extending in the direction of the travel of the machine, said knife having its forward end curved.

27. In a cotton-chopper, a polygonal-shaped chopper or knife having a continuous cutting,` edge with the elongated portions thereof extending in the direction of the travel of the machine, said knife having its forward end slightly curved.

28. In a machine of the character described, a revoluble axle, a main rock-frame having its forward end enlarged and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, a secondary rockframe arranged within the main rock-frame and loosely mounted at its rear endv upon said axle, said rock-frame having one of its sides provided with a rearward extension having' its upper edge formed with a plurality of` seats, a chopper mechanism supported by said secondary rock-frame, operating means for said mechanism driven fi'om the axle of the machine and supported by said secondary frame, a clutch mechanism carried by the axle and adapted to engage in said seats for connecting and disconnecting said operating means to and from the axle of the machine, a hand-operated means cari'ied by the inain frame and connected with the secondary frame and adapted when operated to vertically adjust said chopper mechanism and 'retain it in its ad justed position, and a foot-operated means carried by the main frame and connected with the secondary frame and operatingindependently of said hand-operated means and adapted when operated to elevate the chopper mechanism from its adjusted position, said chopper mech anism adapted to return to the position to which it had been adjusted by the hand-opel'- ated mechanism when the foot-operated mechanism is released.

29. In a machine of the character described, a revoluble axle, a main rock-frame having its forward end enlarged and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, a secondary rock- IOO IIO

frame arranged within the main rock-frame and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, said rock-frame having one of its sides provided with a rearward extension having its upper edge formed with a plurality of seats, a chopper mechanism supported by said secondary rock-frame, operating means for said mechanism driven from the axle of the machine and supported by said secondary frame, a clutch mechanism carried by the axle and adapted to engage in said seats for connecting and disconnecting said operating means to and from the axle of the machine, a hand-operated means adapted when operated to vertically adjust said chopper mechanism and retain it in its adjusted position, and a foot-operated means operating independently of said hand-operated means and adapted when operated to elevate said chopper mechanism from its adjusted position, said chopper mechanism adapted to return to the position to which it had been adjusted by the hand-operated mechanism when the foot-operated mechanism is released.

30. In a machine of the character described, a revoluble axle, a main rock-frame having its forward end enlarged and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, a secondary rockframe arranged within the main rock-frame and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, said rock-frame having one of its sides provided with a rearward extension having its upper edge formed with a plurality of seats, depending guide members carried by said secondary frame, a chopper mechanism operating in and supported by said guide members, operating means for said mechanism driven from the axle of the machine and supported by said secondary frame, a clutch mechanism carried by the axle and adapted to engage in said seats for connecting and disconnecting said operating means to and from the axle of the machine, a hand-operated means carried by the main frame and connected with the secondary frame and adapted when operated to vertically adjust said chopper mechanism and retain it in its adjusted position, and a footoperated means carried bythe main frame and connected with the secondary frame and operating independently of said hand-operated means and adapted when operated to elevate the chopper mechanism from its adjusted position, said chopper mechanism adapted to return to the position to which it had been adjusted by the hand-operated mechanism when the foot-operated mechanism is released.

31. In a machine of the character described, a revoluble axle, a main rock-frame having its forward end enlarged and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, a secondary rockframe arranged within the main rock-frame and loosely mounted at its rear end upon said axle, said rock-frame having one of its sides provided with a rearward extension having its upper edge formed with a plurality of seats, depending guide members carried by said secondary frame, a chopper mechanism operating in and supported by said guide members, operating means for said mechanism driven from the axle of the machine and supported by said secondary frame, aclutch mechanism carried by the axle and adapted to engage in said seats for connecting and disconnecting said operating means to and from the axle of the machine, a hand-operated means adapted when operated to vertically adjust said chopper mechanism and retain it in its adjusted position, and a foot-operated means operating independently of said hand-operated means and adapted when operated to elevate said chopper mechanism from its adjusted position, said chopper mechanism adapted to return to the position to which it had been adjusted by the hand-operated mechanism when the foot-operated mechanism is released.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 1n presence of two subscriblng Witnesses.

cHAELEs e. MERCER.

Witnesses:

A. M. BROWN, J. H. MULLER. 

